In case you didn't know Maine is a big state for maple syrup. Mid-Late March is the maple syrup season. Sap production is dependent on weather. It flows freely when the days warm up but the nights are still chilly. This year the weather was cooperating and it was a good sap season. When we were home last it was Maple Syrup Sunday. Local vendors open up their sugar shacks for the public. There are lots of pancake breakfast and other samples of maple syrup treats like candy and popcorn.
Mr. J and I don't need to visit those although I still think it is fun. Mr. J's dad and grandpa have quite a spread themselves. They have been making maple syrup for years. As time went on and they started making more and more they needed a better operation. A couple of years ago Mr. J's dad built this:
That big white thing in the back is where the sap is store after it is collected. It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup!
The front of the operation.
Where the boiling happens
There is a lot of water in sap that needs to evaporate to get a syrup consistency. It could take more than 24 hours of boiling to get syrup depending on how much sap you start with.
How the sap comes in from the outside storage tub.
Where the syrup comes out
I love being able to drive around and see all of the trees being tapped for sap.
My favorite maple syrup treat right now is the Maple syrup steamer
Maple Syrup steamer
serves 1
ingredients:
10 oz milk
3 tbsp maple syrup
Put milk in cup and heat in microwave for 3 minutes. Must be hot. Add syrup and whisk very fast for about a minute.
Enjoy!
Em- Jon and I are still licking our chops after the mini maple syrups you gave us at your wedding. AMAZING
ReplyDeleteWow this looks delicious!! Great post!
ReplyDeletei've always wondered about the process of creating maple syrup, thank you so much for sharing these photos and information. And warm milk and syrup sounds great right before bed. great blog =]
ReplyDeleteI always thought it would be so interesting to collect sap and make my own maple syrup, just one problem, no sugar maple trees. I do by from a family run maple syrup business in a neighboring state though.
ReplyDelete-Brenda
Love maple syrup! It is great to live in an area where the genuine article is readily available. Will definitely try the maple steamer.
ReplyDeleteOur maple syrup is sooooooo delicious! Thanks
ReplyDeleteYou make your own maple syrup! Super impressed :) My hubs is from upstate New York and if he still lived there I know that he would want to do this!
ReplyDeleteEmily:
ReplyDeleteGrowing up hot milk and sugar was loved, and oh so comforting!
I passed that love onto my girls, and now to my grandchildren.
I know they are going to love this as much!
Thanks for sharing
Charlie